Executive Director (Brian Rupe)
Assistant Director (Greg Donahue)
Assistant Director (Dann Olin)
Senior Program Director (Barb Olin)
Dining Services Director (Cherie Graham)
Water Plant Manager (Greg Betteridge)
Property Manager (Tom Susi)
Camp Office Business Manager (Jill Campbell)
Outdoor Education Director (Jason Campbell)
Weekend Groups Director (Rob Anderson)
Program Director (Pete Heinze)
Summer Camp Boys' Director (Steve DelCalzo)
Summer Camp Girls' Director (Kelly Poese)
Meet the Staff
Brian Rupe, Executive Director
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Brian Rupe has twenty-six years of YMCA experience. Brian has served full time in leadership roles in five unique YMCA camps. This journey has taken Brian, his wife Lynn and their six children from central Indiana to southern Michigan, to the wilderness of northern Minnesota, to the Berkshires of New England and now, to the shores of Lake Erie. Brian and Lynn have a passion to see the mission of the YMCA fulfilled in a way that truly transforms the spirit. In camping ministry they have discovered a powerful vehicle providing just the right set of ingredients to help young people discover their identity as children of God. A graduate of Purdue University with a degree in Recreation Resources and many years of experience in church leadership roles, Brian brings with him an enthusiasm for camping and a love for the outdoors. Brian’s program experience includes environmental education, aquatics, equestrian, music, spiritual and leadership development. brianrupe@campfitchymca.org
Rupe Family
Greg Donahue, Assistant Director
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Rumor has it that Greg Donahue was around Camp Fitch when the glaciers formed Lake Erie. What is true is that Greg and his wife Barb have been a part of Camp Fitch for over 30 years, even raising their two daughters at camp. Daughter Katie was recently married in Curly’s Chapel and is now a teacher in Florida. Another daughter, Kelsey, is a recent graduate of Washington and Jefferson College. Greg and Barb have done just about every job imaginable at Camp Fitch. Barb, a graduate of Kent State University, was the long time Girls’ Camp Director and currently serves as Crafts Director. Greg, an Ashland University graduate, knows camp from the ground up, as he was a part of every major project over the last three decades. Greg’s program experience includes starting the Outdoor/Environmental Education program at Camp Fitch. He is currently one of the assistant camp directors. The Donahue’s feel privileged to be a part of such a dynamic and blessed organization. The call to be able to serve the Lord while impacting the lives of so many campers and staff is priceless. gregdonahue@campfitchymca.org
Donahue Family
Dann Olin, Assistant Director
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Dann has been part of the Camp Fitch bunch since 1982. Prior to Camp Fitch Dann graduated from Kent State University with a degree in recreation with a concentration in camping administration. Following Kent State he worked with YMCA Storer Camps as an outdoor educator and wilderness trip leader where he met his wife Barb. At Camp Fitch Dann has had many roles including: Village Director, Boys’ Camp Director, and Outdoor Education Director. Currently Dann is Assistant Camp Director overseeing seasonal groups and Outdoor Education. His love of the outdoors brought him to YMCA camping and the influence of serving God through serving others has inspired him to make camping his life work. dannolin@campfitchymca.org
Barb Olin, Senior Program Director
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Barb began her association with the YMCA through volunteer involvement in the Toledo, Ohio YMCA's University Y Branch while attending The University of Toledo. She graduated from The University of Toledo with a degree in biology. This led her to Storer Camps where she was an outdoor educator and directed the outreach cross-country skiing and day programs in schools. In summer camp she was involved as a counselor, health director and wilderness trip leader. It was here that she met her husband Dann. In 1982 she and Dann came to Camp Fitch and began their stay as outdoor educators. Since then Barb has worked with the Outdoor Education Program in the fall/winter/spring seasons and in the summers has had the opportunity to lead trips with her husband Dann, and assist in the business office. Barb has also held the position of Village Director and Girls’ Camp Director. Currently she is the Program Director for summer camp. Serving others and steering them to personal growth through the practice of Christian principles in everyday life at camp, is what brought Barb to YMCA camping and has made it her life’s work. Barb and Dann have three daughters who share with them the love of the outdoors and serving others in God's natural world. barbolin@campfitchymca.org
Olin Family
Cherie Graham, Dining Services Director
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Cherie Graham has been with YMCA’s Camp Fitch for about 23 years. She has served in many different roles ranging from cook, horse barn director, special population director, assistant store manager and currently dining services director. Cherie recently received her associate degree in business through the University of Phoenix, and also has received several certifications in food safety handling. Cherie is happy to be able to share her knowledge and love of camp life with the many children who attend Camp Fitch. cheriegraham@campfitchymca.org
Greg Betteridge, Water Plant Manager
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Greg has served full time at Camp Fitch since June 1981. Originally working with the summer and Outdoor Education programs, he served as a lifeguard, summer nature director and taught classes, worked evening programs and directed Outdoor Education school groups. Greg met his wife of 24 years, Glenda, during the summer of 1981 while both were serving as Camp Fitch staff. They have three children and live in nearby Conneaut, Ohio. Having attended church summer camps, as a youth, and earning the Boy Scout rank of Eagle Scout, Greg has held a life-long love of camping and the outdoors. He is a graduate of Warren Wilson College in western North Carolina with majors in biology and environmental studies. Greg currently works in the camp maintenance department and is the Pennsylvania licensed operator for the camp water treatment facility. grebetteridge@campfitchymca.org
Tom Susi, Property Manager
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Tom is a native Erie guy, graduate of Strong Vincent High and has an electronics engineering degree from Columbus, Ohio. Tom has two brothers, Jess and Mark and two sons, James and Jay having started his family in Portland Oregon. Before coming to Camp Fitch in 2005, Tom worked for International Paper. He has also worked for Xerox in research and development, and in the service field for C & L Terminals and P.C.s., and Asia Brown Bover. Tom’s favorite hobbies are fishing, gardening and flying homing pigeons. tomsusi@campfitchymca.org
Jill Campbell, Camp Office Business Manager
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Jill Campbell first attended Camp Fitch as a 9-year-old summer camper. She returned every summer and when she got old enough, graduated from the Counselor-in-Training (CIT) program. That same summer, she joined the staff as a member of the dish crew, and moved up the ranks to become a Counselor. At 18, Jill became the Aztec Village and Archery Director, a position she held for 4 summers. Upon graduation from Youngstown State University, Jill and her soon-to-be husband, Jay, decided that a move to Camp Fitch would be a great opportunity to work together during the fall/winter/spring season. After getting married, Jill and Jay decided to make camping their career when they became part of the full-time professional staff at Camp Fitch. You’ll be sure to meet Jill when you visit Camp Fitch. Among her many duties, including raising her two young children, she oversees the Camp Store, handles check-in and check-out in the summer, and acts as an assistant to the executive and assistant directors. jillcampbell@campfitchymca.org
Jason Campbell, Outdoor Education Director
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Jay Campbell arrived in the fall of 2003 having learned of Camp Fitch through his future wife Jill. Jay has spent the last 6 years as a full-time professional working in the Outdoor Education program during the school season and as the riflery director in the summer. A Warren, Ohio native and Youngstown State University graduate Jay has a degree in Secondary Education, Integrated Social Studies. Jay brings a passion for learning and a joy of working with youth. Jay is currently the Outdoor Education Director and Aquatics Director, overseeing the Lake Erie, Lake Mvima, and pool program areas. Jay and his wife Jill have two children, Harris and Lilia. jasoncampbell@campfitchymca.org
Campbell Family
Rob Anderson, Weekend Groups Director
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Rob Anderson has been a member of Camp Fitch’s full-time professional staff since 2004. With a passion for the outdoors, Rob teaches our outdoor education programs as well as coordinates our trips and weekend programs. As a native of Pennsylvania, he attended Asbury College in Wilmore, Kentucky majoring in recreation. He brings a wealth of experience having worked for a variety of camps including YMCA Storer Camps in Michigan where he met his wife Heather. The Anderson Family, which includes son Matthew and daughter Rachel, welcome you to Camp Fitch. robanderson@campfitchymca.org
Anderson Family
Pete Heinze, Program Director
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Peter Heinze has been associated with Camp Fitch as a camper, volunteer and as a staff member for over the past 18 years. The early experiences at Camp had a life-long impact on how he views every day challenges. It also influenced him to pursue a career in the camping industry. A graduate of Lock Haven University, in central Pennsylvania, with a degree in outdoor recreation management and years of experience serving children, Pete brings with him the passion to ensure that every child that sets foot on camp will have a great experience. Pete’s program background includes the areas of environmental and experiential education, equestrian, adventure trips, international relationships and leadership development. peteheinze@campfitchymca.org
Steve DelCalzo, Summer Camp Boys' Director
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As both a YMCA professional and high school social studies teacher, our Boy's Camp Director, Steve DelCalzo has a lifetime of experience working with youth. Having served as counselor, chaplain, and counselor-in-training director, Steve has been a member of the Camp Fitch Staff since 1972. In addition to his twenty years of teaching experience, Steve worked as a YMCA professional for eight years. He has been Camp Fitch’s Boys' Camp Director since 1997. His two children, John and Sarah, have also been part of the camp family. As Boy's Camp Director, Steve demands that all of his staff practice high Christian Judaic principles and that they always put the needs of their campers before their own. stevedelcalzo@campfitchymca.org
Kelly Poese, Girls’ Camp Director
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Kelly Poese has relished being the director of Camp Chicagami since the summer of 2003. Before taking her current position, she served Camp Fitch in a variety of roles including village director, waterfront staff, and counselor; and even before that, she was a camp kid while her parents, Ken and Sue Barton, were the Boys’ Camp Director and the Crafts’ Director. Kelly also met (and married) her husband Matt at sunny Camp Fitch. Her camping roots run quite deep and serving youth is one of her strongest passions. Kelly graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Ohio University in 1997 and was a classroom teacher for seven years. When she’s not at Camp Fitch, she lives in State College, Pennsylvania, where she nurtures her two daughters and exhibits her unique paper collage at several art shows in Central Pennsylvania.
kellypoese@campfitchymca.org